as a pro wrestling fan I recognized the name, but i don't know much about him.

I don't think he did much outside the UK. Back in the 60s and 70s pro wrestling was a big draw on ITV (the only commercial TV station) sport on a Saturday afternoon. McManus was one of their biggest stars. However, outside TV, pro wrestling was not truly big business. The promoters made some money but most pro wrestlers were on the road every week, doing shows almost every night. That Garfield book a few other posters mentioned is a really good account of what went on. When you look at the old TV shows now, most of the older guys (like McManus) were quite strong but carried quite a bit of body fat - so that with his baldness, and dyed black comb over hairstyle meant he was never going to be a pin-up either

Any opinions I express on this forum are entirely personal opinions and it should not be assumed that they reflect the official view of any organisations I am connected with

LOL I'm not quite that old but when I was a toddler we did have a bloke coming to the house selling vegetables door to door from a horse and cart. I also just about remember poice cars with bells rather than sirens. Althiough come to think of it, unless I'm mistaken, Hanwell railway station (West London) still had gas lamps up until the mid 70s. (I grew up in Slough and it's on the mainline to Paddington. I'm not that much of an anorak)

Back on topic, McManus was a classic heel style wrestler and one of his gimmicks was to have a bit of a mini tantrum if an opponent grabbed his ears. Mind you having seen a few nasty cauli ears when I trained in MMA, maybe on reflection that was a genuine grievance and not a gimmick.

i love those sorts of stories. social history is in line with my interests. cheers for the new sig, quality form of words.

Mike may not be the only contender for oldest poster; although he's certainly got the title of oldest pro MMA debutant.

And especially for Jimmy; When I first arrived in Manchester in 1975 I thought it must be a really rough town because some police officers carried what looked like walking stick length batons. Someone then enlightened me that only sergeants had these and they were signal sticks; a legacy from the pre personal radio days when they used them to tap out messages on the pavement for beat officers to hear.

Any opinions I express on this forum are entirely personal opinions and it should not be assumed that they reflect the official view of any organisations I am connected with

tap out messages on the pavement. in 1975. you're kidding me. hahaha how would that even work? they can't have been very complex messages. 'suspect last seen running down a ginnel wearing a black hooded top and bright blue trainers.'

tap out messages on the pavement. in 1975. you're kidding me. hahaha how would that even work? they can't have been very complex messages. 'suspect last seen running down a ginnel wearing a black hooded top and bright blue trainers.'

quality recollection.

I've never checked the veracity of what I was told; so they may not have been used as described. Perhaps Mike Persil would know. He's about the same age as me and a lifeling Mancunian AFIK. At any rate I guess they must have stopped using them like that as soon as personal radios came in (which was mid to late1960s I think) and they were just still being carried for reasons of tradition. It's one of those weird things though that I never noticed when they stopped carrying them. One day, I just thought that I'd not seen one for a while

Any opinions I express on this forum are entirely personal opinions and it should not be assumed that they reflect the official view of any organisations I am connected with

maybe they were just used to bash people after all. 'i'm carrying this thing for a special reason... but just by chance it's pretty good for knocking people out' - bit like security guards who carry ridiculous *flashlights* which are little more than light-emitting billy-clubs

it would be cool if they still carried them, i like anachronistic (sp? correct use?) stuff like that

We seem to be going off topic, but as we are, I will mention a conversation I had recently with someone. I told them I remember someone being jailed for being gay as it was illegal up until about 1965 I think and they thought I was joking but its for real!